Sex Pistols' former manager McLaren dead at 64 Sex Pistols' former manager McLaren dead at 64 by Raphael G. Satter - Apr. 8, 2010 02:20 PM Associated Press LONDON - The former manager of the Sex Pistols and one of the seminal figures of the punk rock era, Malcolm McLaren, died Thursday, his son said. He was 64. Joe Corre said his father died of an aggressive form of cancer in Switzerland, declining to give the exact location because he said he wanted to avoid a media scrum. "He was the original punk rocker and revolutionized the world," Corre told The Associated Press in a telephone interview. "He's somebody I'm incredibly proud of. He's a real beacon of a man for people to look up to." The multitalented McLaren rose to fame as the colorful manager of The Sex Pistols, but the art college dropout is also known for the infamous clothes shop he opened on London's King's Road with his then-girlfriend Vivienne Westwood in 1971.

The shop changed its name and focus several times, operating as "SEX" and "World's End" and "Seditionaries" at various times before she and McLaren split. Music journalist Jon Savage, who wrote "England's Dreaming," a history of the Sex Pistols and punk, said that "without Malcolm McLaren there would not have been any British punk." "He's one of the rare individuals who had a huge impact on the cultural and social life of this nation." Although the Sex Pistols broke up after only one album, 1977's "Never Mind the Bollocks," their rebellious antics and raucous music would set the bar for bands to come. Their bassist, Sid Vicious, died of a heroin overdose in 1979 after he was accused of killing his girlfriend, Nancy Spungen, in New York City in 1978. McLaren's career in music wasn't limited to managing the Pistols. He also had a regarded solo career in which he blended genres and acted as a kind of music curator.

In the early 1980s, he had key songs in hip-hop, including the hit "Buffalo Gals," and bringing different textures to the developing genre; in his career, he worked in electronica, pop - even opera. In addition to music and fashion, McLaren also dabbled in journalism and filmmaking - working in Hollywood with directors such as Quentin Tarantino and Steven Spielberg. Corre, his son with Westwood, would continue the family tradition of blending shock with success, co-founding designer lingerie chain Agent Provocateur, which sells its risque, high-end wares across the world. Earlier, the AP spoke with Les Molloy, which British media identified as McLaren's agent. Molloy said McLaren had died in New York but Corre said that was wrong, that Molloy was no longer McLaren's agent and that he was not authorized to speak for the family. Repeated calls to Molloy since then have not been answered. McLaren is survived by Corre and his longtime partner Young Kim. Corre said that while funeral arrangements have yet to be made, McLaren had wanted to be buried in north London's stately Highgate cemetery, near where he was born.

Sex Pistols | Biography, News, Photos and Videos | Contactmusic.com News Pictures Video Press Festival Quotes RSS Biography The Sex Pistols (formed 1975) The Sex Pistols are an English punk band, formed in London. The band originally consisted of Johnny Rotten on vocals (b. John Lydon), Steve Jones on guitar, Paul Cook on drums and Glen Matlock on bass. Matlock was later replaced by Sid Vicious (b. John Simon Ritchie). Formation: Steve Jones and Paul Cook were originally members of the band The Strand. They hung out at Don Lett's Acme Attractions and Let It Rock, a clothes shop owned by Malcolm McLaren and Vivienne Westwood. Other punk stars known to hang out there were Soo Catwoman, Mick Jones of The Clash, Jah Wobble, Marco Pirroni and Captain Sensible. McLaren took over the management of the band and recruited Matlock and Rotten in 1975. Rotten was chosen after miming along to Alice Cooper's 'I'm Eighteen' on the shop jukebox.

Even at this early stage, the band had a group of followers known as the Bromley Contingent, which included Steve Severin, Siouxsie Sioux and Billy Idol in their number. Glen Matlock arranged the band's first gig as The Sex Pistols, at St. Martins College. The band was unable to finish their set before the plug was pulled on them. Rise to Notoriety: In 1976, the band started playing at bigger venues, including the 100 Club and the Nashville club in London. The band's first major gig outside of London was at Manchester's Lesser Free Trade Hall. Arranged by Howard Devoto and Pete Shelley (later of the Buzzcocks), many attendants of the gig went on to form their own punk bands. In 1976, the Sex Pistols signed to EMI. Their debut single 'Anarchy in the UK' was released that November. The next month, they were invited as last minute guests of Bill Grundy's Today show. Along with members of the Bromley Contingent, they caused a national uproar by swearing on the live, early evening broadcast.

EMI released the band from their contract in January 1977. Glen Matlock left the band in February 1977 and was replaced by Sid Vicious, who had previously played drums in Siouxsie & The Banshees. Vicious was selected on account of his image and was barely able to play his bass guitar. His amp was often turned off during live gigs and most recordings were done by Matlock or Jones. In March 1977, the band signed to A&M Records, only to have the contract withdrawn six days later. Their final deal was signed with Virgin Records in May 1977. The band's second single 'God Save the Queen' was banned by the BBC, but failed to stop the single reaching number two in the UK singles chart, the same week of Queen Elizabeth's Silver Jubilee. The band's debut album, Never Mind The Bollocks: Here's the Sex Pistols was released in October 1977. The Demise: In 1978, a tour of the USA proved to be too much for the band.

Plagued by in-fighting, receiving negative responses from their audiences and with Sid Vicious' heroin addiction spiraling out of control, the tour descended into chaos. The band's final gig was at San Francisco's Winterland Ballroom. They performed one song: a cover of Iggy & the Stooges' 'No Fun' before Rotten asked the audience "ever get the feeling you've been cheated?" and walked offstage. After the Break-up: Johnny Rotten reverted to his original name, John Lydon and formed Public Image Ltd with Keith Levene and Jah Wobble. Sid Vicious' girlfriend Nancy Spungen was found dead on 12th October 1978, in the Chelsea Hotel. The cause of death was stab wounds to her stomach. Vicious was charged with her murder, as well as assaulting Patti Smith's brother, Todd Smith, with a beer glass. When released on bail, on 2nd February 1979, Sid died of a heroin overdose, aged 21. He never stood trial for the murder. Reunions: The band have staged a number of comeback gigs.

Firstly, in 1996, the original four members played the six-month, worldwide Filthy Lucre Tour. In 2003, they toured North America, for their Piss Off tour. They then played five gigs in the UK in 2007 and announced a series of festival appearances (the Combine Harvester Tour) in 2008. Biography by Contactmusic.com The Sex Pistols | New Music And Songs | The Sex Pistols About The Sex Pistols The Sex Pistols may have only been together for two years in the late '70s, but they changed the face of popular music. Through their raw, nihilistic singles and violent performances, the band revolutionized the idea of what rock & roll could be. In England, the group was considered dangerous to the very fabric of society and was banned across the country; in America, they didn't have the same impact, but countless bands in both countries were inspired by the sheer sonic force of their music, while countless others were inspired by their independent, Do-It-Yourself ethics. Even if they didn't release any singles by themselves, there was an implicit independence in the way they played their music and handled their career.

The band gave birth to the massive independent music underground in England and America that would soon include bands that didn't have a direct musical connection to the Sex Pistols' initial three-minute blasts of rage, but couldn't have existed without those singles. Guitarist Steve Jones and drummer Paul Cook were regulars at a boutique owned by their manager, Malcolm McLaren; bassist Glen Matlock worked at the store. Vocalist John Lydon, who would later perform under the name Johnny Rotten, met the rest of the group at the shop and was asked to join the band. While the band played simple rock & roll loudly and abrasively, Rotten arrogantly sang of anarchy, abortion, violence, fascism, and apathy; without Rotten, the band wouldn't have been threatening to England's government -- he provided the band's conceptual direction, calculated to be as confrontational and threatening as possible. The publicity caused by their caustic first single "Anarchy in the U.K." caused the band to be dropped by their record label, EMI. Matlock was fired before their next single "God Save the Queen," which was released on Virgin; it was banned by the BBC.

Matlock's replacement was Sid Vicious, a tough street kid who, unlike the rest of the band, couldn't play his instrument. After releasing one album, Never Mind the Bollocks Here's the Sex Pistols, in 1977, the band headed over to the U.S. for a tour in January of 1978; it lasted 14 days. Rotten left the band after their show at San Francisco's Winterland Ballroom on January 14, heading back to New York; he would form Public Image Limited later that year. McLaren tried to continue the band but Cook and Jones soon turned against him. In the two decades following the Sex Pistols' implosion, an endless stream of outtakes, demos, repackagings, and live shows were released on a variety of labels, which only helped their cult grow. In 1996, to celebrate their impending 20th anniversary, the Sex Pistols reunited, with original bassist Glen Matlock taking the place of the deceased Sid Vicious. The band embarked on an international tour in June of 1996, releasing the Filthy Lucre Live album the following month.

Four years later, Julien Temple (who helmed the band's first movie, The Great Rock & Roll Swindle) directed the documentary film The Filth & the Fury. In 2016, the Sex Pistols' organization signed a deal with Universal Music to handle distribution of the group's catalog outside of North America. In what may have been a belated effort to ward off the extensive bootlegging of the band's live shows and demos, Universal's first Sex Pistols release was Live 1976, a four-disc box set documenting four shows the group played between June and September 1976, as recorded by their soundman Dave Goodman. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Rovi Sex Pistols’ Former Manager Malcolm McLaren Dies At 64 | Access Hollywood Sex Pistols’ Former Manager Malcolm McLaren Dies At 64 April 8, 2010 11:58 AM PDT The former manager of the Sex Pistols and one of the seminal figures of the punk rock era, Malcolm McLaren, died Thursday, his son said. He was 64.

Joe Corre said his father died of an aggressive form of cancer in Switzerland, declining to give the exact location because he said he wanted to avoid a media scrum. “He was the original punk rocker and revolutionized the world,” Corre told The Associated Press in a telephone interview. “He’s somebody I’m incredibly proud of. He’s a real beacon of a man for people to look up to.” The multitalented McLaren rose to fame as the colorful manager of The Sex Pistols, but the art college dropout is also known for the infamous clothes shop he opened on London’s King’s Road with his then-girlfriend Vivienne Westwood in 1971. The shop changed its name and focus several times, operating as “SEX” and “World’s End” and “Seditionaries” at various times before she and McLaren split.

Music journalist Jon Savage, who wrote “England’s Dreaming,” a history of the Sex Pistols and punk, said that “without Malcolm McLaren there would not have been any British punk.” “He’s one of the rare individuals who had a huge impact on the cultural and social life of this nation.” Although the Sex Pistols broke up after only one album, 1977’s “Never Mind the Bollocks,” their rebellious antics and raucous music would set the bar for bands to come. Their bassist, Sid Vicious, died of a heroin overdose in 1979 after he was accused of killing his girlfriend, Nancy Spungen, in New York City in 1978. McLaren’s career in music wasn’t limited to managing the Pistols. He also had a regarded solo career in which he blended genres and acted as a kind of music curator. In the early 1980s, he had key songs in hip-hop, including the hit “Buffalo Gals,” and bringing different textures to the developing genre; in his career, he worked in electronica, pop — even opera.

In addition to music and fashion, McLaren also dabbled in journalism and filmmaking — working in Hollywood with directors such as Quentin Tarantino and Steven Spielberg. Corre, his son with Westwood, would continue the family tradition of blending shock with success, co-founding designer lingerie chain Agent Provocateur, which sells its risque, high-end wares across the world. Earlier, the AP spoke with Les Molloy, which British media identified as McLaren’s agent. Molloy said McLaren had died in New York but Corre said that was wrong, that Molloy was no longer McLaren’s agent and that he was not authorized to speak for the family. Repeated calls to Molloy since then have not been answered. McLaren is survived by Corre and his longtime partner Young Kim. Corre said that while funeral arrangements have yet to be made, McLaren had wanted to be buried in north London’s stately Highgate cemetery, near where he was born.

Copyright © The Sex Pistols | Download Music, Tour Dates & Video | eMusic Group Members: Glen Matlock, The Philistines , Sid Vicious All Music Guide: The Sex Pistols may have only been together for two years in the late '70s, but they changed the face of popular music. Through their raw, nihilistic singles and violent performances, the band revolutionized the idea of what rock & roll could be. In England, the group was considered dangerous to the very fabric of society and was banned across the country; in America, they didn't have the same impact, but countless bands in both countries were inspired by the sheer sonic force of their music, while countless others were inspired by their independent, do-it-yourself ethics. Even if they didn't release any singles by themselves, there was an implicit independence in the way they played their music and handled their career. The band gave birth to the massive independent music underground in England and America that would soon include bands that didn't have a direct musical connection to the Sex Pistols' initial three-minute blasts of rage, but couldn't have existed without those singles.

Guitarist Steve Jones and drummer Paul Cook were regulars at a boutique owned by their manager, Malcolm McLaren; bassist Glen Matlock worked at the store. Vocalist John Lydon, who would later perform under the name Johnny Rotten, met the rest of the group at the shop and was asked to join the band. While the band played simple rock & roll loudly and abrasively, Rotten arrogantly sang of anarchy, abortion, violence, fascism, and apathy; without Rotten, the band wouldn't have been threatening to England's government -- he provided the band's conceptual direction, calculated to be as confrontational and threatening as possible. The publicity caused by their caustic first single "Anarchy in the U.K." caused the band to be dropped by their record label, EMI. Matlock was fired before their next single "God Save the Queen," which was released on Virgin; it was banned by the BBC. Matlock's replacement was Sid Vicious, a tough street kid who, unlike the rest of the band, couldn't play his instrument. After releasing one album, Never Mind the Bollocks Here's the Sex Pistols, in 1977, the band headed over to the U.S.

for a tour in January of 1978; it lasted 14 days. Rotten left the band after their show at San Francisco's Winterland Ballroom on January 14, heading back to New York; he would form Public Image Limited later that year. McLaren tried to continue the band but Cook and Jones soon turned against him. In the two decades following the Sex Pistols' implosion, an endless stream of outtakes, demos, repackagings, and live shows were released on a variety of labels, which only helped their cult grow. In 1996, to celebrate their impending twentieth anniversary, the Sex Pistols reunited, with original bassist Glen Matlock taking the place of the deceased Sid Vicious. The band embarked on an international tour in June of 1996, releasing the Filthy Lucre Live album the following month. Four years later, Julien Temple (who helmed the band's first movie, The Great Rock & Roll Swindle) directed the documentary film The Filth & the Fury.

Bio | Sex Pistols | The Official Website Sex Pistols Bio Amidst the chaos that was the Sex Pistols, it’s often overlooked just what a great band they are, and what great records they made. The Sex Pistols are no ordinary band; their story is long and complicated, and not without its casualties. Without them popular culture in the last 30+ years would be very, very different. The Pistols didn’t just kick down doors; they kicked them off the wall. For a band who (really) only released one album and four singles, they spawned a sea of imitators; and still do to this day. Not bad for a band that supposedly couldn’t play. Yeah right! The Sex Pistols could certainly play; one listen to their ferocious slab of raw rock and roll will soon tell you that. Despite claims from New York, the Sex Pistols are the true originators of punk; no one else had their attitude, balls, or honesty. The Pistols were inspired by anger and poverty, not art and poetry. “An imitation from New York, you’re cheese and chalk…” There never was a punk movement. There was the Sex Pistols and there was the rest.

The Sex Pistols ARE punk; the rest are “punk rock”. Big difference… History is blatantly being re-written. Fabrications are constantly spouted that when The Ramones came to England in 1976 the Sex Pistols turned up at their first show at London, Roundhouse, and asked them how to form a band. Get it right. On that very night – July 4th 1976 – the Sex Pistols played the Black Swan, Sheffield (over 260 kilometres away!) and had regularly been playing live for over 8 months. For 30 years the Pistols have had to put up with these kind of lies and petty jealousies. There is always someone, somewhere, trying to undermine them. But so what? It just proves they were doing something right in the first place. Sex Pistols… The band that would become the Sex Pistols originally began in 1972 when school-friends Steve Jones and Paul Cook decided to form a band; Glen Matlock later joined in 1974.

Disillusioned by the bloated progressive-rock and hippie music scene of the time, the fledgling Pistols took their musical inspiration from the 60s mod and rock n roll of The Who and The Small Faces. However, it wouldn’t be until 1975 and the arrival of John Lydon that the band took on a whole new level. Steve Jones had spotted someone who looked “a bit different” in Malcolm McLaren’s clothes shop. Bernie Rhodes, one of McLaren’s associates, spotted the same guy on London’s Kings Road; complete with hacked green hair and a homemade “I HATE Pink Floyd” T-shirt. Sacrilege at the time. Malcolm McLaren-who had become the band’s (mis)manager by this time-persuaded the reluctant and cynical John Lydon to audition in his shop. Miming to Alice Cooper’s “Eighteen” in front of a jukebox, Lydon launched into a series of self-mocking fits, hunches, and weird dances, while the others fell about laughing. However, deep down they knew they had found their man, someone who could help vocalize their thoughts. Lydon was an individual of the highest order.

He looked and sounded like no one else on earth, and due to a childhood bout of meningitis, he had a stare that would kill! The perfect front-man, apart from the fact he couldn’t sing. But what did that matter, when he had something to say… The Sex Pistols soon started rehearsing, with Lydon (soon to be dubbed Rotten on account of his decaying teeth) providing the lyrics, and Matlock and/or Jones providing the music. One look at this mixture of madmen and working class delinquents told you they weren’t going to be just any other band. Having made their live debut as quickly as November 1975, by early 1976 the band began playing live more regularly; playing anywhere that would take them. This was a time where your haircut and clothes could get you into serious trouble. With their unique look and sound, the Sex Pistols were such a bolt out of the blue that they would often find themselves in physical danger. They would regularly have to fight their way to their van after having the plug pulled on them!

However, they soon started to attract a following of like-minded souls, some of whom were later nicknamed the “Bromley Contingent”, and would include the likes of Susan Dallion (aka Siouxsie Sioux) and William Broad (aka Billy Idol). Everywhere the Pistols would play, the majority of the audience just didn’t ‘get it’. They thought the band couldn’t play, John couldn’t sing and they looked awful. But there was a small percentage of the crowd they got through to. The Sex Pistols affected everyone they saw, whether it was a positive or negative reaction. They always got a reaction. It wasn’t long before they came to the attention of record companies; the ever-ambitious Sex Pistols together with Malcolm McLaren’s entrepreneurial (aka blagging) skills had no intention of signing to a small label. They wanted the biggest and best. EMI eventually won the war. The band signed for £40,000 on October 8th 1976. A recent composition penned by Rotten was set to be their debut single, ‘ Anarchy in the UK ‘! Like his stage presence, Rotten wasn’t scared of saying, or doing, anything.

He was more than happy to sow seeds of discontent. ‘Anarchy in the UK’ was eventually released November 26th, 1976; much to the bewilderment of the mainstream music press. December 1st, 1976 changed the Sex Pistols and the music scene forever. After the group Queen had to cancel at short notice, EMI booked the Pistols to appear on the ‘Today’ TV show, hosted by one Bill Grundy. A notorious drunk, Grundy had no time for these young upstarts. Treating the Pistols and their entourage with nothing short of thinly veiled contempt, he proceeded to goad them into swearing. Pre-empted by an apparent slip from Rotten, Steve Jones called Grundy’s bluff and launched into a stream of F-words. Unbeknownst to the band, the show was being broadcast live throughout London. Not that it would have stopped them anyway. Grundy was one of the first people to learn not to fuck (sorry, rude word) with the Sex Pistols… The following day the Pistols were headline news up and down the country. “Punk-Rock”, as it had been christened, had reached the masses.

By early January 1977, EMI had buckled to internal pressure and sacked the Pistols. Honoring their £40,000 contract in full. Around this time tensions between Matlock and Rotten came to boiling point. They were the proverbial “Chalk and Cheese”. Matlock was steeped in rock and roll tradition, while Rotten clearly wasn’t. Glen officially left by “mutual consent” in February 1977, with McLaren then claiming he was sacked because, “He liked the Beatles.” Matlock would later team-up with the band for the 1996 ‘Filthy Lucre’ World Tour. Steve and Paul had been friends for years, and John saw his chance to even up the score by bringing in his old friend John Simon Ritchie/Beverley, aka Sid Vicious . Sid was one of the earliest Pistols fans; he loved the band, and couldn’t wait to join. Despite being practically unable to play bass! A&M Records became the Pistols’ new label, and their next single was to be ‘ God Save The Queen ‘, John Rotten’s alternative National Anthem.

To announce the A&M deal, the band staged a mock signing outside Buckingham Palace. However, after a drunken celebration at the A&M offices – and probably another mixture of cold feet – the band soon found themselves without a record deal yet again. Only ten days after they signed to A&M, the Sex Pistols were sacked! Finding them £75,000 richer in the process. The next record company headhunt ended with them reluctantly signing to Richard Branson’s Virgin Records in May 1977. Just in time for the Queen’s 25th Silver Jubilee. The nation was gripped by Royal fever. The Queen was a national treasure. Everyone loved her, everyone except the Sex Pistols. Or did they? “We love our Queen…” The release of ‘God Save The Queen’ sent shockwaves up and down the country. The band also had a perfect collaboration with Jamie Reid on artwork. This was Britain 1977 long before Diana, Fergie, Edward and the likes had exposed the Monarchy for what they were. No one had ever spoken up so publicly about them. The nation was up in arms. Government Members of Parliament even called for the band to be hung at London’s Traitors’ Gate!

Since the Bill Grundy controversy, the band had been public enemy #1, but that all paled into insignificance by the protest that met them after Jubilee week. Even though it technically out-sold the Number 1 record of the week – ‘The First Cut is the Deepest’ by Rod Stewart – ‘God Save The Queen’ peaked at Number 2. The powers-that-be refused to acknowledge it but the Sex Pistols were Number 1. This wasn’t a conspiracy theory, this was for real. While many “punks” and perhaps even the odd journalist, might have supported the Sex Pistols’ rallying cry against the Monarchy, only the Sex Pistols themselves had to fight it head on. John Rotten and producer Chris Thomas were violently attacked by “supporters” of the Queen; with John being slashed several times. Paul Cook was also set upon with an iron bar. It was war! Undeterred, the Pistols went onto release hit singles ‘ Pretty Vacant ‘ (July 2nd) and ‘ Holidays in the Sun ‘ (October 15th).

October 28th 1977 saw the release of the Sex Pistols’ one and only true album ‘ Never Mind The Bollocks ‘, (that’s Bollocks not BULLOCKS guys!). Pre-release orders were so high it immediately charted at Number 1. Now considered one of the greatest albums ever, ‘NMTB’ towered above all the other thinly recorded “punk-rock” records of the time, the blistering guitars and scathing vocals inspired a generation to “Do It For Themselves.” A record that would often be imitated but never surpassed… On the album’s release, more controversy surrounded the band when police took exception to its title being displayed in a shop window. The band were charged with the obscure Indecent Advertising Act of 1889! “Bollocks” is a slang name for testicles; however, the Pistols’ lawyer proved that it was actually derived from a nickname for clergymen! Bollocks was legal! Internal bickering in and around the band had reached a high point by this time, but rather than dealing with the unrest in the camp, McLaren distanced himself from the band, especially Rotten.

However, there was to be one last hurrah in Huddersfield, England on Christmas Day 1977. The Pistols volunteered to play two shows for families of striking firemen: a matinee show for the kids and an evening show for the adults. The kids loved the Pistols, they weren’t interested in the media hype – like the band – they only wanted to have fun! The band gave out presents; John was in charge of food duties, ending up in a huge ‘Bugsy Malone’ style pie-fight with the kids! (It’s not quite the band considered “subversive” by British intelligence (MI5) or the picture painted by the tabloid media, is it?). A U.S. tour was arranged for January 1978. Initially the band were refused entry to the States due to their criminal records, however, their visa problems were eventually sorted with the band only having to pull two shows from the tour. The Pistols being the Pistols, they decided not to play big American cities. Instead they opted to play a short series of dates in the Deep South of the country, in a selection of redneck venues throughout the likes of Memphis, Atlanta and Dallas.

These shows were probably the straw that broke the camel’s back. The pressure of touring, along with the mixture of in-fighting – together with McLaren’s unwillingness to deal with the band as human beings – came to a head. Sid’s ever-increasing drug problem – and the fact he was the only person on the planet who couldn’t see the irony in being called Vicious – didn’t help the animosity between the group either. The alienation between the Pistols increased by the day, with things finally spiraling out of control at their last gig at San Francisco’s, Winterland Ballroom on January 14th, 1978. The band was on its last legs. John was fucked with flu, Sid was fucked with drugs, and Cook and Jones were fucked with Sid and John. John Lydon eventually walked out on the others the following day, after trying in vain to get Jones to dump McLaren. The Sex Pistols as we knew them were no more… Sid Vicious’ destructive relationship with his junkie girlfriend Nancy Spungen finally hit rock bottom on October 12th, 1978, when she was found murdered in their New York hotel room. Sid was the main suspect.

Whether he did it or not is still highly debatable. However, Vicious would never get the chance to clear his name as he fatally overdosed on February 2nd, 1979-most likely by accident-a day after his release on bail from New York’s Rikers Island Prison. Unfortunately, aged just 21, Sid Vicious ended up just another sex, drugs and rock and roll cliche. Everything he would have hated… Post-Winterland, Rotten washed his hands of the Sex Pistols and moved on. Jones, Cook and Vicious kept the Sex Pistols name, releasing a series of singles between 1978-80 for use in McLaren’s new ‘movie’ version of the Pistols story, ‘The Great Rock n Roll Swindle’. A story of how he allegedly manufactured the group and manipulated them to his wishes. A story that, somewhat bizarrely, would be wildly believed by large sections of the media. After winning back control of the band from McLaren in a drawn out court case, the band members got their chance to readdress the balance in the acclaimed 2000 Sex Pistols documentary ‘ The Filth and the Fury ‘.

As John stated, “Only the fakes survive…” After countless rumors, 1996 finally saw the original band return to play live again on the ‘Filthy Lucre’ World Tour. The perfect antidote for the sickly Britpop of the time. The Sex Pistols would play almost as many gigs on this tour as they ever played in the 70s. Despite being largely ignored or slighted by the press, the tour was a huge success with the band playing to an audience eager to see a legend that thousands had claimed to have seen; but in truth never had. With the band’s return to the public eye, British TV’s bland ‘Top of the Pops’ show-which had banned the Pistols in the 70s-requested they play on the show. The Pistols duly agreed, always willing to expose hypocrisy; while getting a platform to promote themselves. The band always understood the need for promotion; the Pistols never bought into the pointless small-minded punk-rock ethic of bands’ scared to push themselves in fear of “selling out”. The Pistols always wanted to be the best at what they did.

There’s no point in playing to a handful of people if you’re capable of playing to thousands… The 1996 tour wasn’t without its controversy; the band found themselves banned from playing Northern Ireland on grounds of “blasphemous content”! For some, the Sex Pistols were still too close to the bone to take… With the band’s unfounded reputation of violence going before them, John Lydon has commented, “We have never had problems with our audience and we play some of the toughest places on earth, with crowds whose violent potential cannot be disputed. They are there for us, and we care for them. So if we see any ignorant bouncer manhandling or abusing anyone we step in firmly… ala, just ask the security in Belgium 1996…” Having played a unique Silver Jubilee celebration show in July 2002 at London’s Crystal Palace Sports Centre, the band decided to follow it up in the States by headlining the ‘KROQ Inland Invasion Festival’. Where they were supported by the likes of Offspring, Blink 182 and Bad Religion.

It spoke volumes that the Sex Pistols would be headlining above such popular acts, while their British contemporaries such as The Damned and Buzzcocks were much further down the bill. By popular demand 2003 would see the Sex Pistols return again, this time for an eventful North American tour. By setting up the tour themselves without the interference or “support” of a record company, MTV or the music press, the Sex Pistols proved-yet again-if you want something done properly, do it yourself! Never scared to confront the real issues of the day, a planned trip to Baghdad to play for the Iraqi people (not troops) was also offered in 2003, only to see red-tape scupper the project. After years of being fashionably ignored by the Rock and Roll Hall of Shame the Pistols were forcibly inducted without their consent in 2006. The band sent a handwritten letter in their absence stating their (many) reasons for not attending. They were no monkeys for anonymous record industry judges. And they certainly weren’t going to pay for the so-called privilege. CongraDulations.

2007 was the 30th Anniversary of ‘Never Mind The Bollocks, Here’s The Sex Pistols’ . Anniversaries are meaningless. Never Mind The Bollocks is not. The album is just as powerful and fresh now as it was 30 years ago. It’s an album that has inspired countless musicians and individuals worldwide since its original release in October 1977. And an album that will continue to inspire – forever. “We’re the future. Your future…” The same year also saw the Sex Pistols return to the recording studio for the first time in nearly 30 years to re-record two of their best known tracks for use in the ‘ Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock ‘ video game. Unable to locate the original multi-track masters for ‘Anarchy in the UK’ & ‘Pretty Vacant’ – John Lydon (aka Rotten), Steve Jones (guitar) & Paul Cook (drums), along with original producer Chris Thomas – entered the studio in summer 2007 to re-record the tracks for use in the game.

“Guitar Hero is a humorous look at the wonderful world of music, and I think it sits in very well with the Sex Pistols ethos.” John Lydon commented. It’s perhaps unfortunate that we still need the Sex Pistols today. Apathy rules supreme. Music is bland and insignificant. It’s the 70s all over again! One of the Pistols greatest achievements is they brought an alternative. People didn’t realize just how bad things were until the Sex Pistols showed them… The 2007 ‘Holidays in the Sun’ and 2008 ‘ Combine Harvester Tour ‘ shows reminded them all over again.

We NEED the Sex Pistols… Picture Credits: (Top to Bottom) EMI promo pic, Bravo magazine, Germany 1976 © unknown Bill Grundy, Today Show 1976: The Filth and the Fury film © Sex Pistols Residuals GSTQ “Banned” Press Advert June 1977 © courtesy Virgin Records Sex Pistols in Hyde park, London, 1977 © unknown Sex Pistols ‘Filthy Lucre’ promo pic 1996 © unknown Brixton Academy November 2007 (photo: David Wainwright) © Sex Pistols Residuals 2007 Virgin Records Sex Pistols Biography, May 1977 Scroll down for additional pages… (6 pages) (apologies for any of their errors) Virgin Records Sex Pistols Biography, May 1977 © courtesy Virgin Records 1977 The Sex Pistols | Rolling Stone artists > T > The Sex Pistols > Bio The Sex Pistols Bio Unabashedly crude, intensely emotional, and calculated to exhilarate and offend, the Sex Pistols' music and stance were in direct opposition to the star trappings and complacency that, by

 the mid-Seventies, had rendered much of rock & roll stagnant.

Over the course of their short, turbulent existence, the group released a single studio album that changed the course of popular music. While the Sex Pistols were not the first punk rockers (that distinction probably goes to the Stooges), they were the most widely identified with the genre — and, to appearances, the most threatening. Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols unquestionably ranks as one of the most important rock & roll records ever, its sound a raw, snarling, yet mesmerizing rejection of and challenge to not only rock & roll music and culture but a modern world that offered, as Rotten sang in "God Save the Queen," "no future." The Sex Pistols were the brainchild of young entrepreneur Malcolm McLaren. The owner of a London clothes boutique, Sex, which specialized in "anti-fashion," McLaren had conceived the idea of a rock & roll act that would challenge every established notion of propriety when, in 1975, he found himself managing the New York Dolls in their final months as a group. A part-time employee of Sex, Glen Matlock, played bass with Paul Cook and Steve Jones; he let McLaren know they were looking for a singer.

McLaren approached 19-year-old John Lydon, whom he had seen hanging around the jukebox at Sex and who was known mainly for his rudeness. Lydon had never sung before, but he accepted the invitation and thoroughly impressed the others with his scabrous charisma. McLaren had found his act, which he named the Sex Pistols. Allegedly, Lydon's disregard for personal hygiene prompted Jones to dub him Johnny Rotten. Ten minutes into their first gig at a suburban art school dance on November 6, 1975, the school's social programmer literally pulled the plug. In the early months of 1976, McLaren's carefully cultivated word-of-mouth about the Sex Pistols made the band the leader of the nascent punk movement. Their gigs inspired the formation of the Clash, Buzzcocks, X-Ray Spex, Joy Division, Siouxsie and the Banshees, and countless other rebel groups in the second half of the Seventies. The press and the record industry ignored the Sex Pistols at first, but by the end of the summer the uproar — both acclamatory and denunciatory — was too loud to be ignored.

In November EMI outbid Polydor with a recording contract worth £40,000. The Sex Pistols' first single, "Anarchy in the U.K.," was released in December. That month the band used the word "fucker" in a nationally televised interview. The consequent outrage led promoters and local authorities to cancel all but five of the dates scheduled on the group's national tour and EMI to withdraw "Anarchy in the U.K." (Number 38 on the U.K. chart in January 1977) from circulation and terminate its contract with the Sex Pistols. In March, Matlock left to form the Rich Kids and was replaced by John Richie, a previously nonmusical friend of Rotten, who named him Sid Vicious. That same month A&M signed the Pistols for £150,000; just a week later the company fired them for a balance payment of £75,000. In May Virgin signed the Pistols and released their second single, "God Save the Queen," timed to coincide with the Queen's Silver Jubilee that June. The song was immediately banned from airplay in England.

Nonetheless it was a top-selling single (cited as a blank at the Number Two position on official charts, listed as Number One on independent charts). In late 1977, the band released Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols, which was full of angry anthems ("Pretty Vacant," "No Feelings") ragged guitar ¬riffs, and Rotten's mocking, scornful vocals. When no British hall would book the Pistols, the group went abroad — to the continental Europe in July and to the U.S. in December. In America the band were mostly met with curiosity, which turned to hostility when the group made only halfhearted attempts to live up to its reputation for savagery. Rotten was characteristically critical of the sensationalism and opportunism that had been attached to the Pistols (for which he blamed McLaren), and on January 14, 1978, immediately after a concert in San Francisco, he announced the breakup of the group.

Jones and Cook remained active in the punk movement and formed the Professionals; Jones materialized in the mid-Eighties in the hard rock band Chequered Past, featuring former Blondie rhythm section Nigel Harrison and Clem Burke, ex-Iggy Pop sideman Tony Sales, and veteran glam singer Michael des Barres. Vicious initiated a haphazard solo career, which ended when he was imprisoned in New York on charges of stabbing his girlfriend Nancy Spungen to death in their Chelsea Hotel room. He died of a heroin overdose while out on bail before he could be tried. Dismissing the Sex Pistols as "a farce" and reverting to his given name, Lydon went on to form Public Image, Ltd, which went on to score six albums in the U.K. Top Forty. In 1986 the surviving members of the Sex Pistols, along with Vicious' mother, won a lawsuit against McLaren, charging he had tied up their royalties in two management companies. The plaintiffs were later awarded approximately $1.44 million. That same year, the critically acclaimed Alex Cox film Sid and Nancy was released.

In 1996 all four original members reunited to embark on a world tour, including Europe, North and South America, Japan, and Australia, dubbed the Filthy Lucre Tour. The Sex Pistols, uncharacteristically "professional" onstage, nonetheless attacked the old repertoire with a fury. Filthy Lucre Live, which documented the re-formed band's London performance, was released in the States in time for the tour's U.S. arrival. In 2000 Julien Temple's The Filth and the Fury documentary on the Pistols included some of the footage originally released as The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle in 1980. Jones debuted Jonesy's Jukebox, a successful L.A. radio show, in 2004; Rotten, meanwhile, appeared on a British reality show as well as his own Discovery Channel nature series.

Though the group still reforms for the occasional short-lived tour, one live gig they didn't make was the 2006 Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame induction ceremony: Before the Sex Pistols could be inducted, the band members posted a message on their website, saying "were [sic] not your monkeys." The band reunited again to play a handful of shows in late 2007 and in 2008 embarked on a European summer festival tour called the "Sex Pistols: Combine Harvester Tour." Portions of this biography appeared in The Rolling Stone Encyclopedia of Rock & Roll (Simon & Schuster, 2001). Chuck Eddy contributed to this article. Sex Pistols manager Malcolm McLaren dies - Telegraph Music news Sex Pistols manager Malcolm McLaren dies Malcolm McLaren, the former manager of the Sex Pistols and the man hailed as the godfather of punk, has died from cancer. He was 64. By Anita Singh , Showbusiness Editor 9:19PM BST 08 Apr 2010 Follow McLaren died in a Swiss hospital, his girlfriend Young Kim said. He was diagnosed with mesothelioma, a form of cancer, some time ago but had not made the news public.

He had travelled to New York in February for the launch of an art book before returning to Switzerland for treatment. Miss Kim said: "He passed away at a hospital in Switzerland where he was being treated for cancer. "Malcolm McLaren was a man who changed the world and is a lasting influence." His agent, Les Molloy, said: "He had been suffering from cancer for some time, but recently had been full of health, then rapidly deteriorated. It’s a sad day. Related Articles Malcolm McLaren has died: are there any anarchic eccentrics left in Britain? 09 Apr 2010 "We are expecting his body to be brought back to London and buried in Highgate Cemetery, one of his final wishes.” McLaren's influence on the music industry cannot be under-estimated, Mr Molloy said. "Without Malcolm McLaren, the punk movement wouldn’t have exploded in the way that it did.” McLaren first made his name in 1971 when he opened a fashion boutique on the Kings Road in Chelsea with his partner, the designer Vivienne Westwood. With his unerring eye for publicity, he renamed the shop Sex.

In 1975, he spotted a young punk called John Lydon who regularly hung around outside the shop. McLaren signed him up as the frontman of the fledging punk band he managed and the Sex Pistols were born. When the band released God Save The Queen during the Queen’s Silver Jubilee in 1977, they became one of the most notorious acts in British music history. McLaren continued to work in the music industry after the Sex Pistols broke up, and retained his love of publicity stunts. In 1999 he offered to stand as Mayor of London. Three years ago, he was a contestants on I’m A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!, but walked out after one day. He and Westwood had a son, Joe Corre, founder of the lingerie label Agent Provocateur. He and Miss Kim, a Korean-American fashion historian, split their time between Paris and New York. Music journalist Jon Savage, who wrote England’s Dreaming, the award-winning history of the Sex Pistols and punk, said: “Without Malcolm McLaren there would not have been any British punk.

“He’s one of the rare individuals who had a huge impact on the cultural and social life of this nation.” Mark Borkowski, who used to represent McLaren, said: "He was a showman extraordinaire. He knew how to create the news." Malcolm McLaren, Former Sex Pistols Manager, Dies | Billboard Malcolm McLaren, Former Sex Pistols Manager, Dies Getty Images Malcolm Mclaren Famed rock 'n' roll raconteur Malcom McLaren, best known as the manager of the Sex Pistols , died Thursday (Apr. 8) in New York City at the age of 64. McLaren's spokesman, Les Molloy, told the U.K.'s Independent that McLaren had been battling cancer "for some time, but recently had been in full health, which then rapidly deteriorated." Molloy said McLaren's body will be buried in London's Highgate Cemetery. McLaren was born into a working class family in London's Stoke Newington section, and after attending art college he and designer Vivienne Westwood opened a Kings Road clothing store called Let It Rock in 1971, later renamed Too Fast To Live, Too Young To Die.

Having traveled to New York in 1972, McLaren began making stage clothes for the New York Dolls and subsequently managed the group -- although veteran music and personality photographer Bob Gruen told Billboard.com that Dolls frontman David Johansen "called Malcolm their haberdasher. What he really wanted was for the Dolls to wear his clothes, but the Dolls were falling apart at that time and were unmanageable. They credited him with saving their lives because he put (some of them) into rehab...and revitalized them for a little while -- long enough to wear his clothes." In 1975, McLaren renamed the London store yet again -- as SEX, which sold S&M-styled gear and put him at the center of Britain's rock underground. "Rock 'n' roll doesn't necessarily mean a band," McLaren once said. "It doesn't mean a singer, and it doesn't mean a lyric, really.

It's that question of trying to be immortal." The Pretenders' Chrissie Hynde noted, "What Malcolm would do was put people in motion...His idea, and what he tried to put together, would never be the obvious, and it wouldn't be what anyone else would try." It was at SEX that McLaren met a green-haired Johnny "Rotten" Lydon, sporting an "I hate Pink Floyd" T-shirt and recruited him to front a group he was managing called the Strand, which he rechristnned the Sex Pistols. The group helped launch Britain's punk scene with its 1977 hit "God Save the Queen," and McLaren proved himself an able pitchman with a number of publicity stunts, including staging a boat trip down the Thames for the Pistols to play the song outside the House of Parliament. The ship was raided and McLaren was arrested, turning the prank into national headlines.

"Malcolm didn't have any say in the music" of the Sex Pistols, guitarist Steve Jones said in Lydon's 1994 memoir, "Rotten: No Irish, No Blacks, No Dogs." "Everyone and anyone can say they did everything, but it takes a team to make it happen." McLaren's penchant for promotion was chronicled in films "The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle" and "The Filth and the Fury," and the members of Sex Pistols sued McLaren to win back rights to their music as well as unpaid royalties during the '80s. "Let's just say that if Malcom breathes, it's too much for me to stomach," Lydon said at one point. After the Pistols split in 1978, McLaren put together the group Bow Wow Wow and became an artist himself, exploring hip-hop, dance and electronic music on hits such as "Buffalo Gals," "Double Dutch" and "Madame Butterfly." He also worked with Yanni on an adaptation of "The Flower Duet" from Leo Delibes' opera "Lakme" for the latter's "Aria" and also for a popular British Airways ad campaign.

In recent years, McLaren co-produced the documentary "Fast Food Nation" and competed in the British reality TV series "The Baron" and "Big Brother: Celebrity Hijack." In 2008, he created a sound painting series called "Shadow" that was premiered on MTV's HD screen in Times Square. Sex Pistols' stylist Keanan Duffty tells Billboard.com that he interviewed McLaren in August of 2008 for the Plum Channel and also ran into him in February during Fashion Week in New York, when McLaren, "looking thin and a litle frail," presented his short film "Paris, Capital of the XXist Century" at the Swiss Institute. "Malcolm was, above all, the Great Raconteur," Duffty says. "And that's how I will always remember this wonderful, inspiring man who I am luck to have met." Primal Scream and former Stone Roses bassist Mani (Gerald Mounfield), said Thursday that "what Malcom and the Sex Pistols started was a generation of musicians who had the balls to think for themselves and challenge the normal working practices of the recording industry. Myself and many others of my generation are indebted to him for showing us the way.

RIP Malcolm McLaren, a true innovator, visionary, instigator and agent provocateur." Full funeral and memorial arrangements for McLaren are pending.

Question: Who was the manager of 'The Sex Pistols'?
Answer: MALCOLM MCLAREN